Dirac Live Support
Knowledge base & Support
Dirac Live official calibration guide.
Dirac optimizes digital audio, perfecting sound for better listening in any environment. See how you can perform a Dirac Live Calibration. Dirac Live® allows you to analyze the acoustic characteristics of speakers and your room to calibrate your sound system and reproduce sound as intended.
Helpdesk content
Frequently Asked Questions (FaQ)
In Version 3.4.4, the icon for “limited range” speakers has been changed to be smaller than the icon for full range speakers.
Limited Range Speakers Full Range Speakers
We currently support Windows 10 to 11, MacOS 10.14+, Android, and the iOS app. The iOS app requires hardware from NAD, Onkyo, Pioneer, Integra, or Pioneer Elite.
First, increase the volume on the lowest sounding speaker in your setup, often the Subwoofer. Ensure its volume is slightly higher than the other speakers but not painfully loud. If you get a “signal clipping” error, turn the volume down a bit. Second, lower the microphone gain slider and raise the master volume instead, as a high mic gain can raise the noise floor and trigger this error. Also, try turning off any ventilation or hum in the room during the measurement.
Customers who have not purchased a Dirac license and use built-in Dirac software on devices like Onkyo/Pioneer/Integra should contact the hardware device’s support at their respective worldwide support sites. Onkyo support sites worldwide
No, the Audyssey microphone is not compatible with Dirac. We recommend using the UMIK-1.
Yes, liveproject files are compatible across platforms as they contain all the necessary data to open a project.
We recommend using the USB calibrated measurement microphones UMIK-1 or UMIK-2, which are plug-and-play and perfect for room measurements. The XTC Pro microphone can also be used, but it requires the included USB amplifier box for connection. All AVR devices with included microphones in the package are supported. Check your device’s manual for setup requirements before connecting your microphone/device.
Starting from Version 3.3.0, our new auto target curve eliminates manual adjustments and provides a more balanced response with a natural slope, ensuring a lifelike result while preserving the speakers’ individual flavor. Learn more here: New auto target curve – Dirac
log in again to update your account with the new license and receive confirmation from our servers.
Crossover settings vary depending on the situation. You can start with this guide: Setting crossovers in an AVR/pre-pro with Dirac Live 2 room correction (mehlau.net)
This safety measure ensures that your speakers won’t be damaged if the volume is set too high after manually adjusting the volume. The software automatically reduces the volume every time you return to the Volume Calibration step.
This safety measure prevents damage to your speakers and hearing. If you’re certain you want to increase the volume beyond the locked point, click on the red lock to unlock it (it will turn green) and become accessible.
Projects created with DLCT 1.x are not compatible with the latest software. However, projects created with versions 2.x and 3.x can be loaded in the latest software version, provided you have a Dirac account. If you do not have an account, please register here: https://live.dirac.com/register.
For the mobile app, we use channel zero (typically the front left channel) for calibration and assume that this value is reasonable for the entire system. For more detailed control, use the desktop version.
Yes, Dirac Live supports target curves in both .targetcurve and .txt formats.
In the desktop version, you can choose how many positions to measure before proceeding to the next step. However, more measurements yield better results, so we recommend measuring all positions before moving on to Filter design. In the mobile app, all positions (depending on the selected setting) must be measured before proceeding to Filter design.
New Dirac Live includes an enhanced phase correction algorithm for improved imaging and an improved measurement process (with up to 17 measurements and two options for sofa settings). Unlike DLCT 1.x, which measured the phase of each speaker individually, the new version analyzes speakers in pairs.
If Dirac Live determines that the recording is not accurate enough, gain and delay compensation will be disabled. This can be caused by dropped buffer during recording. Switching the USB port of the microphone might help.
This problem can be verified by looking in the Dirac Live log files (Troubleshooting: Diagnostic Files for Support) for:
License transfers are possible if you are selling your hardware device and the new owner wants to take ownership of the Dirac Live license, or if you experienced hardware failure and are using a replacement device of the same model. In either case, please create a ticket on our Help Desk, and our support staff will initiate the transfer.
Transferring or using licenses across multiple devices or models is not supported. For example, if you bought a license for an NAD M10 and are now buying a Denon X3800H, you will need to purchase a new license, as your NAD license is not transferable to the Denon.
Check that the communication settings are correct and set to IP.
Some microphones have fixed mic gain and rely on adjustments to the master volume and individual channel levels to achieve an acceptable recording level.
If you have a full-bandwidth license, log in to the application with your account to access additional features.
This information differentiates between subwoofers and regular speakers, and does not correlate with the small/large setting typically used in AVRs to indicate bass management.
Properly executed EQs, including Dirac Live, require headroom to boost certain frequencies without exceeding 0dBFS and causing digital clipping. The output level is attenuated to provide headroom, and you may need to increase the volume higher than usual. Some manufacturers might apply gain compensation, which could change with different options/modes. Ensure the measurement volume is the same or slightly higher than the listening volume. Learn more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DBFS
You can measure the positions in any order, but it’s recommended to start with the main position.